We’re so lucky in England to have such varied landscapes, from meadows to forests, and rolling hills to sandy beaches. This varied terrain provides the perfect place for so many different kinds of flowers and foliage to grow and bloom, and there’s nothing more relaxing than sitting by a stunning field of flowers. With so many of us opting to holiday in the UK this year, there’s no better time to visit these gorgeous flower fields, so we’ve compiled a list of our favourite flowery spots in the UK at which you can take some time out and enjoy the natural world.
Lavender fields in England
There are loads of lavender fields in the UK, and it tends to flower from mid-June to early August. You can smell these fragrant flowers from yards away and they’re supposed to aid sleep and relaxation.
1. Mayfield Lavender Farm, London
This stunning lavender farm in London attracts Instagrammers like a magnet would metal. It’s the perfect place to take photos, just make sure you stay on the paths and don’t trample the flowers. You can read more about the farm here.
2. Lordington Lavender, Chichester
This lovely, family-run farm produces a range of stunning, lavender-based products, and you can visit the field to see the lavender in bloom yourself. Check out the website to learn more about the farm.
3. Yorkshire Lavender, York
Although most of the lavender fields in the UK are located in the South of England, there is a particularly beautiful lavender farm up North, in York. A trip to Yorkshire lavender makes for such a fragrant day out, and you can read more about the farm on the website.
Poppy fields in England
Gorgeous British poppies can be found throughout the UK, and they bloom from mid-June all the way through to September. Occasionally they make it through to October, too!
4. Blackstone Nature Reserve, Worcestershire
This stunning nature reserve in Worcestershire is an absolute oasis for wildlife. You’ll find a huge variety of wildflowers here and it’s a fantastic place to spent the day exploring amidst beautiful surroundings. Here poppies grow wild, and you can read about the reserve on the website.
5. Hambleton Hough, Selby
Yorkshire is full of natural beauty and the mining town of Selby is one of Yorkshire’s hidden gems. There’s a beautiful 15th-century gatehouse here and, of course, fields of gorgeous wildflowers, including vibrant Flanders poppies.
Purple heather fields in England
Anyone who has ever lived in the countryside will know the excitement of seeing the beautiful purple heather bloom, and there are plenty of places to see it from late July until November, wherever you are in the country.
6. Hedleyhope Fell, Durham
County Durham is full of incredible spots to see amazing purple heather. Here, amongst the sheep and farmers you’ll find fields and fields of the stuff, and Hedleyhope Fell has to be the most amazing spot to see this fantastic hardy shrub.
7. Stiperstones Nature Reserve, Shropshire
Shropshire’s idyllic countryside is dotted with amazing patches of flowering heather, but nowhere is it more visible than at Stiperstones Nature Reserve. Head to Nipstone Rock to see the most vivid heather amongst truly picturesque surroundings.
8. Harbottle Crags, Northumberland
Northumberland is absolutely covered in heather. If you take the A1 North from anywhere above Leeds and drive up to Scotland you are guaranteed to see heather this time of year. The road runs between the North York Moors and The Yorkshire Dales, then up past the North Pennines to the stunning Northumberland National Park, and these are all places where heather grows. If you’re up in Northumberland, make the trip to Kielder Forest Park and wait until the evening. There you will see some of the clearest stars in the UK and tons of amazing wildflowers everywhere.